Natalie Gildea is indulged in snuggle time with Pete the kitten and son Liam on a Sunday afternoon after church in Memphis,Tenn. These photos are by professional photographers and come from a new book, "Cats 24/7," by Rick Smolan and David Elliot Cohen. The cat and dog photos in the books are selected from thousands submitted last fall from animal lovers and American photojournalists.

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Although Bengal cats are known for their extreme energy, Favi prefers to lie on the dining room table reflected on the cover of his owner's nursing textbook in San Antonio. The cat and dog books reflect the diversity of cat and dog life across America and contain more than 500 photos each.

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Sadie, the barn dog, licks, Paige, a young paint horse at Beaver Creek Ranch in Pittburg, Kan. Sadie will often run around and play with the horses in the field and during trail rides. Surrounded by 11 horses and only one other dog, Sadie has adopted some of the behavoriors of her equine companions. She eats carrots and goes for trail runs alongside the horses, doling out canine kisses on the way. This photo is from, "Dogs 24/7," by Rick Smolan and David Elliot Cohen.

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A month old kitten basks in its mother's care on Peter Hellwig's farm in Collierville, Tenn.

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"I hold on and she holds on, too," says Patrick Perry of his favorite riding companion, Sheba. The American boxer was already well trained before he got the bike. "She took right to it," says Perry. The duo now performs in stunt competitions throughout the southern United States. Sheba sits in front, paws on the steering wheel, ready for Perry to pop a wheelie.